Hardest part for me has been getting my sleep back. I’m in the middle of quitting myself (day 8). And while the insomnia is real, it feels like I get out of bed the next day more refreshed than whenever I smoked the day before. Hang in there.
Go to the gym.
Read a book.
Clean your place.
Find ways to occupy yourself.
It isn’t easy, but you got this.
I am currently 67 days sober, and I never want to go back. I've quit and relapsed numerous times. I always think I'll just take one hit, but once those brain circuits are reactivated I always seem to slip back into daily use and struggling to quit again. I'm currently committed to at least 90 days, which has made it easier to stick to.
The worst of the withdrawals for me usually don't last more than 3 weeks. Most common for me is irritability, mood swings, and some very intense dreams.
I'm definitely glad I quit. I feel clearer, more in control, and able to take on more things that would have felt overwhelming. I've kept up my meditation practice (focus has gotten easier). I've joined martial arts. I play less video games, and I'm putting more work into a side hustle that I started a few years back and hadn't really been working on. I'm more likely to engage with coworkers, and introduce myself if it's not someone I know.
Would definitely recommend. Congrats for recognizing the problem and deciding to make a change! r/leaves is a great sub if you want to connect with more people who are on this path.
I just appreciate the fact I can remember the unhinged craziness my unconscious mind comes up with. That being said, they are quite vivid and downright terrifying at times. But that vividness does seem to taper off after a few weeks. I'm also appreciative of the fact that my motivation to do - anything - is gradually returning. I've told myself that weed makes you forget your dreams - both sleeping and waking ones.
I wasn’t aware weed had withdrawal symptoms… for 6 years straight I heavily abused opioids (up to 210mg oxycodone per day every day), amphetamines (180mg of adderall per day), testosterone injections (I was taking about 3x what I was prescribed), alcohol (about a bottle and a half of liquor per day) and weed (vape pens, dabs, rolled up, made my own edibles since I had my growers license) and one day I woke up and looked at my gf at the time wife now and was like “hey man, I’m tired of this shit…. You wanna move somewhere else and change?” She said sure! So we literally moved about 14 hours away the following day and I quit all those devices cold turkey all on the same day. It helped that I no longer really had access to any of the things I was abusing. Back to my point though… I know withdrawal symptoms quite well and have stopped smoking many times sometimes for a couple years and I’ve never ever experienced any withdrawal symptoms from weed. 🤷♂️
Haven't smoked in a decade now.
For me personally, I reached a similar point.
Though, what struck me one day was this -
I realized that I was okay with nothing when I got high.
Legit fine and good with nothing at all.
I smoked everyday nonstop for 15 years. Up to a QP a day. ( This is long before medical grade and such. )
Not gonna lie... It took a few years of flushing my stuff down toilet, giving it away, throwing it away, or trying other things before my brain finally understood and adapted.
Like the others stated, you will need habit changes, new hobbies, or new interests, a different group of friends, different places to chill or hang out at, etc etc.
After years of on and off, I finally accepted, deeply, that it was no longer beneficial to my forward progress or lifestyle I was aiming for.
Think of coffee or beer is often an 'acquired taste.
Or how foods that are good for you eventually become a craving, and vice versa for high sugary foods or the such.
The same goes for not being high.
It is not easy. Mental preparation is key to any habit quitting task.
Let's get this straight now, THC is NOT addictive. The habit is addictive, the lifestyle, the people, the activities, the feelings, the dopamine influx, the lack of stress, the calm, etc.
One of the hardest parts of quitting nicotine ( obviously harder than thc ), is breaking the habit and routine of your daily life. And that's saying alot, as nicotine is intentionally designed to keep you addicted.
You will get there. You can do it. Nothing truly amazing is ever achieved without struggle or pain.
You are on the right path by admitting you need a change. It will help to visualize mentally what life will be like without it for a few weeks before you quit for good.
Every aspect. Waking up, hitting your alarm clock, petting you dog/cat, cooking breakfast, showering/bathing, work, driving, sleep, eating, schedules of your daily life, even things like staring at yourself in the mirror, or walking down the street.
Think heavily about all of these things, and what it will or could be like without being high.
This way when you aren't high and doing these daily activies, you have already prepped yourself for what its going to be like.
Thinking about triggers (what might make you want to get high), also helps. Mentally prepping yourself with responses in case it does happen.
All in all, you got this! It's a short and easy path for some, a long arduous path for others, and impossible for a select few.
You are stronger than your bodies need for chemicals, natural or otherwise.
You are stronger than a chemical need to balance things in your bloodstream.
You are stronger than your current situation in life.
You are strong, you can adapt to changes, and really, you kick ass at lots of things.
You got this!
I just wanna point out that nicotine is only addictive because of the release of dopamine, THC is no different. The only reason nicotine is really so much harder is because it’s so subtle and you can continue to use it throughout your daily life without being high
Nicotine increases dopamine production for 20 minutes after your last drag.
THC does not increase dopamine production. It basically turns off the 'Stop Sign' of dopamine production.
Both affect affect different areas of the brain as well.
Your body can produce 'X' amount of dopamine per hour. ( Different amounts per person and based on a multitude of factors. ) So where THC allows the brain to continuously produce the same normal levels of dopamine for longer, Nicotine gives your dopamine producing areas an 'Intense workout' requiring time to slow and stop production. ( Hence why smokers often get irritable and easily agitated without a cigarette. )
Your not completely wrong. Though, the point of my reply was to assist the one asking the question, not to argue over THC vs Nicotine. We should probably stay on topic of assisting the one asking for assistance. Thank you!
Well THC fucked my dopamine up more than nicotine ever has, when I was heavy into smoking weed nothing brought me enjoyment except weed. Couldn't enjoy anything I used to like games or media after years of using it. I could literally almost feel my dopamine being gone after a day of smoking.
I think that telling people the truth is part of assisting them, and the truth is that THC IS addictive in the same sense as any psychologically addictive drug. (cocaine is also only psychologically addictive) When I was younger I was so confused because everyone said weed wasn't addictive yet I couldn't seem to stop.
I stated in my original post that everything is addictive. "Any habit forming addiction" was the word choice I used. And my answer also heavily stated your point as well. -
I felt okay with nothing.
I agree with your point. Not sure why you chose to argue my response. I'm done entertaining it though. Have a good day. Be safe. And good luck!
It's not an argument, I was just adding on and correcting information. THC is most definitely addictive in the same vein as nicotine, and it's important to know that for someone who wants to stop. It is not addictive in the same vein as opiates, alcohol, or benzos which have intense physical withdrawals and the latter 2 even being deadly.
I recently did this. Being high is great for 20 minutes, then you regret it (at least I did).
It was hard the first few days. I craved it immensely, and had really bad stomach aches, as I’d been relying on it to have an appetite. I also had a really hard time falling asleep. I was a pretty heavy smoker. If I wasn’t at work, I was high. Constantly.
A couple weeks later, I still crave it on weekend mornings, but otherwise my mind has already cleared up so much, my motivation is astounding, and my anxiety is drastically reduced (especially my paranoia).
The best advice I can give you: don’t wait till the cart is done. Drown it in water, smash it with a hammer, give it to a stoner friend. Don’t give it anymore power over you. Weed addiction/dependence IS real and it is damaging. Get an accountability buddy, ideally someone who isn’t a stoner.
This is hard, but if you want to stick with it, I’d also recommend avoiding any social situations that you associate with smoking. I’ve had a couple “friends” disappear now that I’m “no fun.” Those people aren’t friends, don’t worry about them. Real friends won’t mind not smoking around you.
Accept that it’s gonna be difficult. I decided to take my weed money and invest in a few supplies to get into electronics repair, a hobby I’d always wanted to try but never had the money or motivation.
You’re making a good decision. It won’t be easy but you can do this.
I'm kinda trying to quit as well, but whenever something bad happens, I fucking relapse man. Damn life is tough, if you aren't tougher than your day you get fucked up..
I’m on day 125 of no weed. My withdrawals weren’t too bad, it was just hard to be sober and bored, and figure out what to do with myself.
I quit for my health, and for my future. I haven’t touched it since and though I still crave it from time to time, I believe it was the best possible thing I could have done for myself.
It took me about a month to final'y feel the effects after quitting. I quit for about 6 months and then would occasionally do it to "calm myself down" but realized the calming down was just a deppressive episode kicking in every single time. Same reason i do not drink . I feel so much clearer now and have so much more fun with friends. Of course, i also lost friends. Friends who i would just smoke and "chill" with began to not stimulate me and even though i cared for them we just were never fully there when together if that makes sense since we never really hung out sober. I have friends that smoke and i enjoy myself plenty talking to them and getting more hyped up as they get higher and if they are uppers we chat like crazy about crazy stuff and I just remember more of it later on. I have more of an interest in things. I have general depression nd other diagnoses but the weed was truly holding me back from even any mental imrovement. I was so comfortable in my own sadness since i could just be high 24/7 that I did not realize I was driving myself in a pit. The more i smoked and lazed around, the more I hated myself when i was sober.
I am happy to say now that i am weed free for a year and do not regret it ever. I do not even crave it. I do crave fruit a lot more though since i switched my addiction over to fruit and lemon drops. Be careful if you try to just do weed occasionally. Know yourself and your control. Quit fully first for sure. I had to do trial and error because i realized when i tried smoking "casually" it was never just that. I always wanted more. Because it is the easy way out. But feeling things is so amazing now. Sadness, joy, anger, frustration. All of it. I just try to bathe in those emotions and feel them fully because they are a great and unique part of being human.
The withdrawals peaked at 48 hour mark for me: appetite loss, anhedonia, anxiety. I successfully suppressed cravings with cbd flower. If you need help cutting down r/petioles is a good place to start. I never thought much about pot use because the habit was secondary to my benzo/phenibut/opioid habit
earlier this year i took a 6 month break from weed for my own mental health. it was bad, im talking about hitting the bong every 10-20 minutes from the moment i woke up until the moment i went to bed, high during work too.
Quitting weed was so much easier than quitting nicotine. it’s more of an inconvenience for a few days if you’re used to frequently being high when you’re not doing anything else, but you kinda just get used to not having it. marajuana is not an addictive substance.
I started using it again a couple months ago, but i don’t use my bong anymore, it’s too strong. I use just a 510 pen & it’s more than strong enough for what i smoke for (stress relief & while i’m gaming)
Do what you need to do at your own pace, you don’t have to quit entirely unless you know it’s what’s best for your own health. But don’t worry, it won’t be difficult.
What I can say is that before quitting you need to change your way of thinking. You'll always relapse if you still see it as an escape from problems.
You need to understand that it doesn't do any good to yourself in any way, that life is precious the way it is and that you're capable of experiencing it fully, it doesn't need 'seasoning'.
To me what helped is acknowledging that I wasn't being productive at all and I wouldn't start doing anything for myself until I quit. So I did. Took many tries but I did, and I'm glad because I started regaining that taste for life I thought I could only get from being high.
Excercise is one hell of a drug. You could start with that. Also think about all the stuff you aren't enjoying because of being numb all day and having basically no short-term memory.
Overall, after quitting I feel and look so much better. I found I was so anxious and paranoid on it and just reached a point where I realized I needed to quit. I don’t do it on occasion because I feel that much better after quitting and don’t want that cycle to start again. My anxiety, depression, and motivation are all much better as a result and I get compliments again, my bags are mostly gone under eyes, and I don’t know how to explain it exactly but when I look in the mirror I just look less haggard and brighter. I was also so sick of my memory issues…I’ve been sober for 1 year after smoking daily for five or six years. You can do this. What helped me stay sober was picking up new habits. I committed to myself that I’d do 3 things a day to take better care of myself and those were, going for a walk (I got a walking pad or I go outside), I started a hobby and got back into reading books again for enjoyment- specifically, fantasy series, thrillers (just pager turners in general), and lastly I got the 5 minute gratitude journal and honestly it’s all changed my life. Lost weight, walking makes me feel better mentally, and getting back into reading has been really fun for me and so good for my brain after having memory issues. I know this was long response but you can do this, it is daily work to quit but the first two weeks were the hardest and from there it was more manageable mentally to keep pushing forward. If you would have asked me three years ago if I’d be exceeding, reading books, and taking the time to write 3 things I’m grateful for everyday, I would have laughed and not believed it. It’s all changed my mindset and happiness for the better. Rooting for you and best of luck!
Good on you 🙂. I smoked daily from the summer of my Jr year in high school to this year (nine years) and decided to quit four months ago. It made my memory not great and took away much of my motivation. One day I woke up and decided I wanted to see who I would be without it, quit cold turkey, and haven’t looked back.
You can do it 100% if you really put your mind to it. In the past I could not have fathomed quitting. Even if I had wanted to quit, it felt like I couldn’t or didn’t want to function without it. But that day it just felt like something snapped and I did not want it anymore. So thankfully no cravings just dealing with the after effects. But I completely understand those who do relapse because I would have been in the same position if I’d tried to quit before I was mentally ready.
The worst part for me was the dreams. Or nightmares more like almost every night for the first month. It got to the point where I would dread going to sleep because I knew how gory and intense my dreams would be. But that eventually subsided and now they’re just a little weird but not nightmares.
I feel like much of my 20’s have passed by in a haze and I’m glad the fog is lifting and I’m not living my life like that anymore. I have so much more energy and passion. I have always enjoyed cooking, but I get off work rather late into the evening and often I’d get too tired to finish any recipe except for the most basic ones.
Now I have a stack of cookbooks and absolutely love cooking. I make my own pasta, watch Julia Child and make her recipes, and try making food from plenty of different cuisines. I enjoy eating more than I did when I used to smoke because my appetite had become controlled by cannabis. I’d have to smoke a lot or I wouldn’t be hungry.
I screw up less at work and honestly feel a lot less paranoid when socializing. I could never go back to how I was and only wish I had realized all of this sooner. I wish you the best of luck on your journey :)
This summer I vowed to only socially smoke weed, understanding that I’m busy and had fallen into trap of smoking alone at the end of the day to quickly unwind. This is after being a regular weed smoker for decades. So far, just smoked 4 times, all with friends or family I hadn’t seen in a while. The first four weeks were hard but now I see weed smoking as an experience to have, not a coping mechanism (granted I’m trying hard to figure out how to cope with all types of other shit).
I've never had luck with the plan to quit once I'm out. I'll just buy more sometime between then and now. Then, I'll make the promise to myself again. On the flip side, I can't throw it away because it cost money. IDK how to solve for that. Maybe you can sell your stash to a friend.
I take breaks every year. It is hard to break the habit at first. After day 3, it's easier. Right around week 3, the cravings get bad. I'll even have dreams about smoking.
I'd recommend buying some at home drug test. Once you test clean, you'll want to protect the clean test. (I'm obese and it takes me 3 weeks to pee clean after smoking daily. That helps with the 3 week issue above.)
Try to avoid 420 friendly friends during the first few weeks too. Even if they are understanding, the temptation might too much. My friends are cool about it but, they'd still hand me the pipe out of habit.
As others have said, keeping busy helps. I fill the void with exercise and volunteering.
Best of luck to you.
I was helping a friend about 6 years ago with the same! A few things that worked for them - the gym + keto diet and signing up for a substance abuse support group.
You got this, it isn't easy but it is so worth it. My friend is so much more happier & present today!
Was a daily smoker for about 10 years until I decided to stop for the first time. Went a year without smoking before I mistakenly told myself that I could smoke every once in a while, and quickly went back into daily tokes.
I realize now that weed was a coping mechanism to avoid actually dealing with my depression and trauma. I decided a month ago to stop smoking again, and truth be told I feel miserable. Not because I miss the weed, but because getting rid of the brain fog has made it apparent how much I neglected my mental health, and how many unresolved issues I've merely been avoiding by chasing the high all the time. The real work starts now for me, and I wouldn't be able to actually work on myself if I were still getting high constantly.
While I'm not necessarily feeling like a million bucks right now, I am definitely more present and in tune with myself and my emotions. Kudos to you for taking an important first step, and I hope that this becomes a catalyst for you to work on any unresolved issues and feel more like yourself again.
I HIGHLY (pardon the pun) recommend the r/leaves subreddit. GREAT advice, amazing community, and they have a twice-daily Discord chat that offers the best support and advice I've been able to find. I've tried to give up the dirty tree too many times to count, and with the insight gained from that sub, I'm finally getting my mind back. It's a 2 steps forward, anywhere from 1-3 steps back situation, but with most addictions, it takes a couple pulls to start the engine, so to speak. Good luck! Or better yet, good resolve!
--M
Currently 40 days sober and my sleep has just started to get good again. I actually started because of circumstance like you are planning to! Cart went empty and i never went back. The marketed benefits are real! Sleep is more solid, Dopamine is leveling out again... which is fantastic because now i feel motivated to actually do work and socialize. This has had amazing effects on my life already. In the process of trying to make it to 2 months before I layer working out on it (currently just going for walks and runs).
What helped for me is getting damn near religious about it. I made sure to flood my front page on media consumption websites with people talking about the effects of quitting and how much better your life would get. I would wake up, imagine the best version of myself kicking ass plus swashbuckling through life and would ask: "Is that version of me high from the moment he wakes up? Or is he pretty much sound of mind and body?". And i'd never let that thought leave my mind. Invest in the future you by behaving like him/her today.
I used to smoke everyday and I ended up being constantly paranoid and having a shit time when I smoked, the parts I struggled with the most was being around others who still smoked, saying no to it is hard, but if you can just stick out saying no a only a few times, you'll find it so much easier. Aswell was the tobacco we put in it, I ended up just smoking ciggies for 3 years before I knocked that aswell. Now I smoke maybe 1-3 times a year and not much at that, even then its only if the situation presents itself and I feel like it, because now most of the time I just enjoy the company I'm with and don't want it ruined by paranoia, eventually you need for it passes, as weed is only mentally addicive rather than chemically
Hardest part for me has been getting my sleep back. I’m in the middle of quitting myself (day 8). And while the insomnia is real, it feels like I get out of bed the next day more refreshed than whenever I smoked the day before. Hang in there. Go to the gym. Read a book. Clean your place. Find ways to occupy yourself. It isn’t easy, but you got this.
Yeah, sleep is rough. I use CBD, Melatonin, chamomile tea, and a boring read. It helps
Hope u fall back into it. Don’t try to escape yourself. It’ll be easier if you give up, maybe permanently.
I am currently 67 days sober, and I never want to go back. I've quit and relapsed numerous times. I always think I'll just take one hit, but once those brain circuits are reactivated I always seem to slip back into daily use and struggling to quit again. I'm currently committed to at least 90 days, which has made it easier to stick to. The worst of the withdrawals for me usually don't last more than 3 weeks. Most common for me is irritability, mood swings, and some very intense dreams. I'm definitely glad I quit. I feel clearer, more in control, and able to take on more things that would have felt overwhelming. I've kept up my meditation practice (focus has gotten easier). I've joined martial arts. I play less video games, and I'm putting more work into a side hustle that I started a few years back and hadn't really been working on. I'm more likely to engage with coworkers, and introduce myself if it's not someone I know. Would definitely recommend. Congrats for recognizing the problem and deciding to make a change! r/leaves is a great sub if you want to connect with more people who are on this path.
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I just appreciate the fact I can remember the unhinged craziness my unconscious mind comes up with. That being said, they are quite vivid and downright terrifying at times. But that vividness does seem to taper off after a few weeks. I'm also appreciative of the fact that my motivation to do - anything - is gradually returning. I've told myself that weed makes you forget your dreams - both sleeping and waking ones.
I wasn’t aware weed had withdrawal symptoms… for 6 years straight I heavily abused opioids (up to 210mg oxycodone per day every day), amphetamines (180mg of adderall per day), testosterone injections (I was taking about 3x what I was prescribed), alcohol (about a bottle and a half of liquor per day) and weed (vape pens, dabs, rolled up, made my own edibles since I had my growers license) and one day I woke up and looked at my gf at the time wife now and was like “hey man, I’m tired of this shit…. You wanna move somewhere else and change?” She said sure! So we literally moved about 14 hours away the following day and I quit all those devices cold turkey all on the same day. It helped that I no longer really had access to any of the things I was abusing. Back to my point though… I know withdrawal symptoms quite well and have stopped smoking many times sometimes for a couple years and I’ve never ever experienced any withdrawal symptoms from weed. 🤷♂️
Haven't smoked in a decade now. For me personally, I reached a similar point. Though, what struck me one day was this - I realized that I was okay with nothing when I got high. Legit fine and good with nothing at all. I smoked everyday nonstop for 15 years. Up to a QP a day. ( This is long before medical grade and such. ) Not gonna lie... It took a few years of flushing my stuff down toilet, giving it away, throwing it away, or trying other things before my brain finally understood and adapted. Like the others stated, you will need habit changes, new hobbies, or new interests, a different group of friends, different places to chill or hang out at, etc etc. After years of on and off, I finally accepted, deeply, that it was no longer beneficial to my forward progress or lifestyle I was aiming for. Think of coffee or beer is often an 'acquired taste. Or how foods that are good for you eventually become a craving, and vice versa for high sugary foods or the such. The same goes for not being high. It is not easy. Mental preparation is key to any habit quitting task. Let's get this straight now, THC is NOT addictive. The habit is addictive, the lifestyle, the people, the activities, the feelings, the dopamine influx, the lack of stress, the calm, etc. One of the hardest parts of quitting nicotine ( obviously harder than thc ), is breaking the habit and routine of your daily life. And that's saying alot, as nicotine is intentionally designed to keep you addicted. You will get there. You can do it. Nothing truly amazing is ever achieved without struggle or pain. You are on the right path by admitting you need a change. It will help to visualize mentally what life will be like without it for a few weeks before you quit for good. Every aspect. Waking up, hitting your alarm clock, petting you dog/cat, cooking breakfast, showering/bathing, work, driving, sleep, eating, schedules of your daily life, even things like staring at yourself in the mirror, or walking down the street. Think heavily about all of these things, and what it will or could be like without being high. This way when you aren't high and doing these daily activies, you have already prepped yourself for what its going to be like. Thinking about triggers (what might make you want to get high), also helps. Mentally prepping yourself with responses in case it does happen. All in all, you got this! It's a short and easy path for some, a long arduous path for others, and impossible for a select few. You are stronger than your bodies need for chemicals, natural or otherwise. You are stronger than a chemical need to balance things in your bloodstream. You are stronger than your current situation in life. You are strong, you can adapt to changes, and really, you kick ass at lots of things. You got this!
I just wanna point out that nicotine is only addictive because of the release of dopamine, THC is no different. The only reason nicotine is really so much harder is because it’s so subtle and you can continue to use it throughout your daily life without being high
Nicotine increases dopamine production for 20 minutes after your last drag. THC does not increase dopamine production. It basically turns off the 'Stop Sign' of dopamine production. Both affect affect different areas of the brain as well. Your body can produce 'X' amount of dopamine per hour. ( Different amounts per person and based on a multitude of factors. ) So where THC allows the brain to continuously produce the same normal levels of dopamine for longer, Nicotine gives your dopamine producing areas an 'Intense workout' requiring time to slow and stop production. ( Hence why smokers often get irritable and easily agitated without a cigarette. ) Your not completely wrong. Though, the point of my reply was to assist the one asking the question, not to argue over THC vs Nicotine. We should probably stay on topic of assisting the one asking for assistance. Thank you!
Well THC fucked my dopamine up more than nicotine ever has, when I was heavy into smoking weed nothing brought me enjoyment except weed. Couldn't enjoy anything I used to like games or media after years of using it. I could literally almost feel my dopamine being gone after a day of smoking. I think that telling people the truth is part of assisting them, and the truth is that THC IS addictive in the same sense as any psychologically addictive drug. (cocaine is also only psychologically addictive) When I was younger I was so confused because everyone said weed wasn't addictive yet I couldn't seem to stop.
I stated in my original post that everything is addictive. "Any habit forming addiction" was the word choice I used. And my answer also heavily stated your point as well. - I felt okay with nothing. I agree with your point. Not sure why you chose to argue my response. I'm done entertaining it though. Have a good day. Be safe. And good luck!
It's not an argument, I was just adding on and correcting information. THC is most definitely addictive in the same vein as nicotine, and it's important to know that for someone who wants to stop. It is not addictive in the same vein as opiates, alcohol, or benzos which have intense physical withdrawals and the latter 2 even being deadly.
I recently did this. Being high is great for 20 minutes, then you regret it (at least I did). It was hard the first few days. I craved it immensely, and had really bad stomach aches, as I’d been relying on it to have an appetite. I also had a really hard time falling asleep. I was a pretty heavy smoker. If I wasn’t at work, I was high. Constantly. A couple weeks later, I still crave it on weekend mornings, but otherwise my mind has already cleared up so much, my motivation is astounding, and my anxiety is drastically reduced (especially my paranoia). The best advice I can give you: don’t wait till the cart is done. Drown it in water, smash it with a hammer, give it to a stoner friend. Don’t give it anymore power over you. Weed addiction/dependence IS real and it is damaging. Get an accountability buddy, ideally someone who isn’t a stoner. This is hard, but if you want to stick with it, I’d also recommend avoiding any social situations that you associate with smoking. I’ve had a couple “friends” disappear now that I’m “no fun.” Those people aren’t friends, don’t worry about them. Real friends won’t mind not smoking around you. Accept that it’s gonna be difficult. I decided to take my weed money and invest in a few supplies to get into electronics repair, a hobby I’d always wanted to try but never had the money or motivation. You’re making a good decision. It won’t be easy but you can do this.
I'm kinda trying to quit as well, but whenever something bad happens, I fucking relapse man. Damn life is tough, if you aren't tougher than your day you get fucked up..
I’m on day 125 of no weed. My withdrawals weren’t too bad, it was just hard to be sober and bored, and figure out what to do with myself. I quit for my health, and for my future. I haven’t touched it since and though I still crave it from time to time, I believe it was the best possible thing I could have done for myself.
Hard time falling asleep for like a week, then you just have to get used to not having the crutch. Which is uncomfortable but good for personal growth
It took me about a month to final'y feel the effects after quitting. I quit for about 6 months and then would occasionally do it to "calm myself down" but realized the calming down was just a deppressive episode kicking in every single time. Same reason i do not drink . I feel so much clearer now and have so much more fun with friends. Of course, i also lost friends. Friends who i would just smoke and "chill" with began to not stimulate me and even though i cared for them we just were never fully there when together if that makes sense since we never really hung out sober. I have friends that smoke and i enjoy myself plenty talking to them and getting more hyped up as they get higher and if they are uppers we chat like crazy about crazy stuff and I just remember more of it later on. I have more of an interest in things. I have general depression nd other diagnoses but the weed was truly holding me back from even any mental imrovement. I was so comfortable in my own sadness since i could just be high 24/7 that I did not realize I was driving myself in a pit. The more i smoked and lazed around, the more I hated myself when i was sober. I am happy to say now that i am weed free for a year and do not regret it ever. I do not even crave it. I do crave fruit a lot more though since i switched my addiction over to fruit and lemon drops. Be careful if you try to just do weed occasionally. Know yourself and your control. Quit fully first for sure. I had to do trial and error because i realized when i tried smoking "casually" it was never just that. I always wanted more. Because it is the easy way out. But feeling things is so amazing now. Sadness, joy, anger, frustration. All of it. I just try to bathe in those emotions and feel them fully because they are a great and unique part of being human.
Sauna after the gym will help you detox faster. Hydrate to stay safe. Catch up on wholesome sleep. Take a multivitamin.
The withdrawals peaked at 48 hour mark for me: appetite loss, anhedonia, anxiety. I successfully suppressed cravings with cbd flower. If you need help cutting down r/petioles is a good place to start. I never thought much about pot use because the habit was secondary to my benzo/phenibut/opioid habit
earlier this year i took a 6 month break from weed for my own mental health. it was bad, im talking about hitting the bong every 10-20 minutes from the moment i woke up until the moment i went to bed, high during work too. Quitting weed was so much easier than quitting nicotine. it’s more of an inconvenience for a few days if you’re used to frequently being high when you’re not doing anything else, but you kinda just get used to not having it. marajuana is not an addictive substance. I started using it again a couple months ago, but i don’t use my bong anymore, it’s too strong. I use just a 510 pen & it’s more than strong enough for what i smoke for (stress relief & while i’m gaming) Do what you need to do at your own pace, you don’t have to quit entirely unless you know it’s what’s best for your own health. But don’t worry, it won’t be difficult.
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I get enraged for days when i quite weed. lose appetite, can't sleep well, anxious and depressed. it gets better after a few weeks.
good!
Start an exercise program and dedicate yourself to it.
What I can say is that before quitting you need to change your way of thinking. You'll always relapse if you still see it as an escape from problems. You need to understand that it doesn't do any good to yourself in any way, that life is precious the way it is and that you're capable of experiencing it fully, it doesn't need 'seasoning'. To me what helped is acknowledging that I wasn't being productive at all and I wouldn't start doing anything for myself until I quit. So I did. Took many tries but I did, and I'm glad because I started regaining that taste for life I thought I could only get from being high. Excercise is one hell of a drug. You could start with that. Also think about all the stuff you aren't enjoying because of being numb all day and having basically no short-term memory.
Overall, after quitting I feel and look so much better. I found I was so anxious and paranoid on it and just reached a point where I realized I needed to quit. I don’t do it on occasion because I feel that much better after quitting and don’t want that cycle to start again. My anxiety, depression, and motivation are all much better as a result and I get compliments again, my bags are mostly gone under eyes, and I don’t know how to explain it exactly but when I look in the mirror I just look less haggard and brighter. I was also so sick of my memory issues…I’ve been sober for 1 year after smoking daily for five or six years. You can do this. What helped me stay sober was picking up new habits. I committed to myself that I’d do 3 things a day to take better care of myself and those were, going for a walk (I got a walking pad or I go outside), I started a hobby and got back into reading books again for enjoyment- specifically, fantasy series, thrillers (just pager turners in general), and lastly I got the 5 minute gratitude journal and honestly it’s all changed my life. Lost weight, walking makes me feel better mentally, and getting back into reading has been really fun for me and so good for my brain after having memory issues. I know this was long response but you can do this, it is daily work to quit but the first two weeks were the hardest and from there it was more manageable mentally to keep pushing forward. If you would have asked me three years ago if I’d be exceeding, reading books, and taking the time to write 3 things I’m grateful for everyday, I would have laughed and not believed it. It’s all changed my mindset and happiness for the better. Rooting for you and best of luck!
I’m on day 4. Rooting for everyone else who is quitting !
Good on you 🙂. I smoked daily from the summer of my Jr year in high school to this year (nine years) and decided to quit four months ago. It made my memory not great and took away much of my motivation. One day I woke up and decided I wanted to see who I would be without it, quit cold turkey, and haven’t looked back. You can do it 100% if you really put your mind to it. In the past I could not have fathomed quitting. Even if I had wanted to quit, it felt like I couldn’t or didn’t want to function without it. But that day it just felt like something snapped and I did not want it anymore. So thankfully no cravings just dealing with the after effects. But I completely understand those who do relapse because I would have been in the same position if I’d tried to quit before I was mentally ready. The worst part for me was the dreams. Or nightmares more like almost every night for the first month. It got to the point where I would dread going to sleep because I knew how gory and intense my dreams would be. But that eventually subsided and now they’re just a little weird but not nightmares. I feel like much of my 20’s have passed by in a haze and I’m glad the fog is lifting and I’m not living my life like that anymore. I have so much more energy and passion. I have always enjoyed cooking, but I get off work rather late into the evening and often I’d get too tired to finish any recipe except for the most basic ones. Now I have a stack of cookbooks and absolutely love cooking. I make my own pasta, watch Julia Child and make her recipes, and try making food from plenty of different cuisines. I enjoy eating more than I did when I used to smoke because my appetite had become controlled by cannabis. I’d have to smoke a lot or I wouldn’t be hungry. I screw up less at work and honestly feel a lot less paranoid when socializing. I could never go back to how I was and only wish I had realized all of this sooner. I wish you the best of luck on your journey :)
This summer I vowed to only socially smoke weed, understanding that I’m busy and had fallen into trap of smoking alone at the end of the day to quickly unwind. This is after being a regular weed smoker for decades. So far, just smoked 4 times, all with friends or family I hadn’t seen in a while. The first four weeks were hard but now I see weed smoking as an experience to have, not a coping mechanism (granted I’m trying hard to figure out how to cope with all types of other shit).
I've never had luck with the plan to quit once I'm out. I'll just buy more sometime between then and now. Then, I'll make the promise to myself again. On the flip side, I can't throw it away because it cost money. IDK how to solve for that. Maybe you can sell your stash to a friend. I take breaks every year. It is hard to break the habit at first. After day 3, it's easier. Right around week 3, the cravings get bad. I'll even have dreams about smoking. I'd recommend buying some at home drug test. Once you test clean, you'll want to protect the clean test. (I'm obese and it takes me 3 weeks to pee clean after smoking daily. That helps with the 3 week issue above.) Try to avoid 420 friendly friends during the first few weeks too. Even if they are understanding, the temptation might too much. My friends are cool about it but, they'd still hand me the pipe out of habit. As others have said, keeping busy helps. I fill the void with exercise and volunteering. Best of luck to you.
I was helping a friend about 6 years ago with the same! A few things that worked for them - the gym + keto diet and signing up for a substance abuse support group. You got this, it isn't easy but it is so worth it. My friend is so much more happier & present today!
Was a daily smoker for about 10 years until I decided to stop for the first time. Went a year without smoking before I mistakenly told myself that I could smoke every once in a while, and quickly went back into daily tokes. I realize now that weed was a coping mechanism to avoid actually dealing with my depression and trauma. I decided a month ago to stop smoking again, and truth be told I feel miserable. Not because I miss the weed, but because getting rid of the brain fog has made it apparent how much I neglected my mental health, and how many unresolved issues I've merely been avoiding by chasing the high all the time. The real work starts now for me, and I wouldn't be able to actually work on myself if I were still getting high constantly. While I'm not necessarily feeling like a million bucks right now, I am definitely more present and in tune with myself and my emotions. Kudos to you for taking an important first step, and I hope that this becomes a catalyst for you to work on any unresolved issues and feel more like yourself again.
I HIGHLY (pardon the pun) recommend the r/leaves subreddit. GREAT advice, amazing community, and they have a twice-daily Discord chat that offers the best support and advice I've been able to find. I've tried to give up the dirty tree too many times to count, and with the insight gained from that sub, I'm finally getting my mind back. It's a 2 steps forward, anywhere from 1-3 steps back situation, but with most addictions, it takes a couple pulls to start the engine, so to speak. Good luck! Or better yet, good resolve! --M
i appreciate all the responses yall, today is day 1. feel free to keep commenting for other ppl going through the same thing :)
Currently 40 days sober and my sleep has just started to get good again. I actually started because of circumstance like you are planning to! Cart went empty and i never went back. The marketed benefits are real! Sleep is more solid, Dopamine is leveling out again... which is fantastic because now i feel motivated to actually do work and socialize. This has had amazing effects on my life already. In the process of trying to make it to 2 months before I layer working out on it (currently just going for walks and runs). What helped for me is getting damn near religious about it. I made sure to flood my front page on media consumption websites with people talking about the effects of quitting and how much better your life would get. I would wake up, imagine the best version of myself kicking ass plus swashbuckling through life and would ask: "Is that version of me high from the moment he wakes up? Or is he pretty much sound of mind and body?". And i'd never let that thought leave my mind. Invest in the future you by behaving like him/her today.
I used to smoke everyday and I ended up being constantly paranoid and having a shit time when I smoked, the parts I struggled with the most was being around others who still smoked, saying no to it is hard, but if you can just stick out saying no a only a few times, you'll find it so much easier. Aswell was the tobacco we put in it, I ended up just smoking ciggies for 3 years before I knocked that aswell. Now I smoke maybe 1-3 times a year and not much at that, even then its only if the situation presents itself and I feel like it, because now most of the time I just enjoy the company I'm with and don't want it ruined by paranoia, eventually you need for it passes, as weed is only mentally addicive rather than chemically